Meat Heaven: Preto Brazilian Steakhouse Review

Have you ever been to a restaurant and wished you could choose 2 main meals or even have seconds as you wanted to try something else on the menu but couldn’t decide between the 2?

This happens all the time to me, I find a few things I want to try but of course can only pick one and then end up picking from Paul’s plate to try his choice too.

I order my food then get buyers remorse when I see a steak heading to another table and kick myself for choosing the chicken.

At Preto you will never get that buyer’s remorse, never have to eye up someone else’s plate ever again because you CAN have it all, and not only that but you can have as much as you want! We visited the newly opened branch which is within The Meadows Shopping Centre in Chelmsford.

Preto’s is a Brazilian Steakhouse where there is a set fee for your meal, £21.95 for adults and £5.95 for children (drinks are added on top of this and of course desserts extra too…if you are actually able to manage one)

Upon entering you are shown to your table and your drinks order taken, you are also given a card each which is double-sided, one side is green and says “yes please” and the other red and says “I’m full”.

You then grab a plate and head to the fully stocked Brazilian salad bar where you can indulge yourself in a true Brazilian experience with such dishes including: Feijoada (Brazilian beans with pork), Feijao Tropeiro (Brazilian beans with cassava flour and bacon), Pão de Queijo (Cheese bread), Banana Frita (Fried Banana), Coxinha (Chicken Croquettes) along with over 12 seasonal salad dishes and more. You can head back as many times as you like too.

Once seated back at your tables the Passadors will bring meat on skewer to your table, one cut of meat will come at a time with only around 5 minutes before another circles the tables, you use your card to tell them if you are still hungry or want to try something else. If it’s Red they won’t bother you, if it’s green they will ask if you would like any, you can accept or decline should you not fancy that one – they will also tell you what each meat is and how it’s cooked.

You actually have your table for 2 hours so should you want you want to refresh your plates at the salad station you are welcome to, you can take a little rest better continuing eating. You can also have clean plates if you require – just ask for your used ones to be taken away.

Nothing about this restaurant is rushed and you are free to take your time, sit and chat, and eat at a leisurely pace.

It has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and the staff couldn’t be more helpful or attentive without interrupting your meal, we had a lovely giggle with them especially when Harry refused to let them pour his drink and kept asking for more meat raising his card in the air every time he saw them approach.

The children both loved their first experience here, Emmy who kept going up for more sides (she’s not a huge meat-eater at the best of times) and Harry who was on a mission to try every different meat they had to offer.

Myself and Paul also really enjoyed this dining experience, because it starts with a self-serve salad buffet the kids aren’t getting restless waiting for their meals which for parents is a godsend as there are only so many games of eye-spy etc you can play in a restaurant before they start getting bored and as soon as you are ready your hot meat arrives. No waiting means happy kids and therefore happy parents. We got to try so many different flavours and enjoyed many meats from steak to chicken, pork and sausage with loads more inbetween. If you don’t like one there isn’t long to wait until you can try the next.

It is a lovely way of trying different meats and styles of cooking, and the staff honestly won’t mind if you try something and didn’t like it….you don’t know until you’ve tried so you?

The meat is carved at your table and you use your own tongs to place onto your plate – Harry thought this was the best thing ever

The Passadors have trained for many years to learn the skill and art of tableside carving. Preto Passadors carefully prepare the meats using only the best fresh produce from freshly ground peppercorns, garlic and Sea salt all applied to the choicest cuts of meat: some of the meats you can try include:

Beef

Picanta – rump fillet

Alcatra – top sirloin

Fraldinha – pepper steak

Maminha – tri-top sirloin

Cupim – beef hump

Picanha com alho – garlic rump

Lamb – Carnero

Chicken

Coracao – chicken hearts

Coxa de frango com limao – lemon chicken thighs

Cox de frango apimentada – spicy chicken thighs

Peito de frango – chicken breast

Assa de frango apimentada – spicy chicken wings

Pork

Lombo de porco – pork loin

Costela de porco – pork ribs

Linguica chorizo – spicy sausage

Linguica – homemade pork sausage

Lombo de porco defumado – smoked pork loin

Emmy displaying her red card as she’d had enough meat

We are definitely heading back again soon, minus the children. They both loved it but once they were full that was it, no resting time for our adult tummies, waiting for the food to settle before having a bit more, so next time they can stay at home and we can enjoy some quiet us time with great food eaten at a leisurely pace. To give you an idea of just mow much the kids enjoyed it – they were offered desserts and they turned them down! I have never known my children turn down dessert – they were so full they couldn’t manage it, which was great to see as we are fed up of taking them out to eat for them to leave half a plate or more of food.

I can highly recommend trying the Brazilian cocktails and the Brazilian Beer they are both so refreshing and delicious.

This is a dining experience like no other and I recommend any meat lover to go and try.

About Us

Hi, I'm Clare (Emmy's Mummy). I live in Essex with my husband Paul, Daughter Emmy (born February 2010) and Son Harry (born October 2012)
I'm a 30-something WAHM and former Nanny, sharing life's adventures and misadventures
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